Hey everyone. Travis back with an update about the SunCoast SportsFest, hitting Tampa Bay later this month. If you don't know what I'm talking about, make sure you read the previous post about the event...because it's going to be awesome. But here's the scoop and update -

Top athletes from all-over the United States will bat, dribble, flip, chop, tumble, twirl, dance and cheer at one of the Premier youth sporting events in the country on January 29t30. The young athletes will be competing to achieve their position at "the top of their game", and at the same time, benefit the effort and research being done thru the March of Dimes to save babies and prevent birth defects.

The "Dime Card" was launched in 1938 for the popular fund-raising campaign of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (officially changed it’s name to the March of Dimes in 1979). Through one nationwide, unified act of saving simply dimes, our country experienced the first large-scale, nationwide biomedical initiative, led by a charitable organization. It also helped make the volunteer movement an integral part of the fabric of American life. In 1948, with funding provided by the March of Dimes, Dr. Jonas Salk was able to grow the three known types of polio virus in his lab and eventually to develop an experimental killed-virus vaccine that eventually led to the end of the disabling polio virus.

The 1,000's of top athletes who attend the Suncoast SportsFest are encouraged to "fill their dime cards" (provided to each athlete), and experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from performing an act of compassion. These children, and their parents alike, can be thankful that they have been blessed with strong, healthy bodies to participate in the sports that they so love and excel in. The highlight of the evening during the athletes party on Saturday evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, will be the presentation of the “Cup of Compassion”, a 20” Silver Cup covered in real dimes, to the sports team that has filled the most “Dime Cards”. Individual athletes who have filled the most cards will also be recognized at the event.

The Suncoast SportsFest was formed in 2008 by Arnold and Cindi Gwinn from New Port Richey, Fl. The event is held in Tampa, Florida at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Plant City Baseball Fields, and University of South Florida. There are 10 sporting events offered in the Sportsfest, baseball, softball, basketball, karate, tae kwon do, gymnastics, tumbling and trampoline, rhythmic gymnastics, and cheerleading.

The 2011 event is expected to draw nearly 4,000 youth, ages 8-18, over the course of 2 days. Each sport features, the "cream of the crop" from all-over the US. College scouts from some of the top universities in the country will attend the event to scout for "new talent". Several top sporting celeberities from the world of Baseball, Basketball and Olympic Gymnasts will attend the event to meet and inspire the young athletes and sign autographs.

The competition is tough! The rewards are Great! The sweet taste of victory is Awesome! But at the end-of-the-day the premi-baby who might make it through one more night or the newborn that will receive a new treatment, developed through the research funded by the March of Dimes, that will make him well enough to finally "go home", THAT is what makes this event the most important, the most highly revered competitive sporting event IN THE WORLD.

And there you go. We'll see you back here for more udpates, as well as information about some great Tampa Bay Entertainment options and other great things to do in Tampa Bay.